Railway-switch.



No. 725,986. 7 PATENTED APR. 21, 1-903.

- s. s. NIGHOL.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

' APPLIGATION nun AUG. 23, 1902.

1&0 MODEL. I z SHBETS-SEEET 1.

JZZZ/fi No. 725,986. PATBNTED APR. 21, 1903.

' S; S. NIGHOL.

RAILWAY SW ITGHL' 'APPLIQATION nun we; 23, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET UNITED STATES i VATENT GFFICLE.

SAMUEL S. NIOHOL, KEWANNA, INDIANA.

RAILWAY- SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,986, dated April 21, 1 903.

' Application filed August ZB, 190 2. '1 Serial No. 120,800.. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. NICHOL, a. citizen of the United States, residing in Ke-' wanna, in the. connty'ofFulton and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this: specification. I

My invention relates to a railway-switch in theconstruction of which frogs are dispensed with and the switch-rail sections are pivotally mounted so as to be capable of movement to the rails of the main track for the travel of the car-wheels directly ontoor off of said main-track rails.

The invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims. 1

Figure I is a top or plan view of my switch with parts broken out. Fig. II is an enlarged top view of one ofthe main-track rails and the pivoted switch-rails moved thereto. Fig. III is an enlarged longitudi'nal'section taken on line III III, Fig. II, withthe rails shown. in elevation. Fig. IV is an enlarged cross section taken on line IV IV, Fig. II.

1 and 1 designate the main-track rails, which are mounted on ties 2 in the usual manner.

3 and 3 are the switch lead-rails that lead into proximity to the main-track rails.

t and 4 are guard-rails beside the trackrail 1 and lead-rail 3 in line with the cross over of the switch. i

5 is a crank-shaft rockinglymounted in bearings 5 on the ties 2 and having connected to the cranks thereof throw-rods6, 7, and 8, by which the swinging switch-rail sections are moved on the rocking of said crank-shaft. The crank-shaft 5 is made in sections for convenience in shipping ortransportation, and the various sections are joined" by couplings 5*. (See Fig. I.) The throw-rod 6 is connected to a switch-rail section 9, hinged to the end of the switch-point 3 ,a nd also to a'switchpoint 10, hinged-to one 'end of the lead-rail section 3, located between the main-track rails 1 and 1, the said sections 9 and 10 being adapted for movement to the main-track rails. The throw-rod 7 is connected to a the track-rail.

I Swimh'I-miilt section hinged Mime the end of the lead -rail-3 and provided with a tapered end 12, adapted to be moved to the outside face of the main-track rail 1,v beside which itis located. 7

1 4 designates a slip-frog that is pivotedat 15 to the lead-rail 3, thatis located intermediate of the track-rails 1 and 1. This slipfrog is adapted for movement'to the maintrack rail 1 and-rides upon wear-plates 16', se-

cured t0 the ties 2 beneath it. The slip-frog I 14 is formed with an enlarged head 17, having a tapering point, and which is undercut, as shown in Fig. IV, to produce a tread-flange 18, that is adapted to ride onto the main-track rail 1-0n. the movement of the frog thereto. The flange 19 is of sufficient width to extend to the opposite side of the track-rail 1 and is adapted tomeet the-tapered end of the switch-point 11, situated at the opposite side of the'rail 1, and which is movedto the rail simultaneously withsthe movement .of the slip:fr og. frog and switch-point 11 are moved together,

asstated, a continuous rail sur face is f'pro ually increase in height from the point A (see 'Fig. I) to the point B to raise'theleada-ail gradually toward the point B in order that the car-wheels will beQelevated as they pass to the slip-frog 14 and will continue their elevated course onto the slip-frog and thereover to the switch-point 11, from which they pass onto the lead-rail=3l. The leadfrail is elevated at the end adjoining the track rail 1 by plates 20, that gradually decreasefin elevation in the course of the lead-rail away from The slip-frog 14 receives the connection of the 'throw-rods'8 "and8, by which it is moved on the rotation of the crankshaft 5.

21 is a guard-rail that is mounted on a series of supporting-plates ofdecreasing height and fixed to the ties 2 intermediateof flthe track-rails 1 and 1, and the point of which is adapted to overlap the point of the slipfrog 14 when the frog is thrown away from the track-rail 1. This guard-rail serves to Itwill be seen that when the slip-' protect the point of the slip-frog and prevent its being struck by a chain or other object carried by a car and dragged on the railwaytrack, and which in the absence of any protection for the slip-frog might become engaged therewith to the injury of the frog.

22 is a guard-rail mounted on supportingplates fixed to the track-ties and adapted to overlap the switch-point 11 when it is not in service to protect said point in the same manner as that stated in connection with the slipfrog 14.

The guard-rails 21 and 22 are extended transversely of the track-ties 2, so as to extend longitudinally of the slip-frog 1-1 and switch-point 11 in order that they will completely and adequately guard the free ends of said members of the switch.

The slip-frog 14 is provided with a diagonally-extending groove 14, adapted to receive the ridges of car-wheels common upon wheels that have been used any great length of time and which are produced by the wear of the wheels.

I claim as my invention 1. In a railway-switch, the combination with main-track rails, of lead-rails exterior and intermediate of said main-track rails, a slip-frog having a tapered end hinged to one end of said intermediate lead-rail adjacent to one of said main-track rails, a switchpoint, having a tapered end, hinged to the end of one of the exterior lead-rails adjacent to said last-named main-track rail, and guardrails, having tapered ends, extending longitudinally of said slip-frog and switch-point to which the free tapered ends of said frog and switch-point are adapted to be moved when out of service, substantially as described.

2. In a railway-switch, the combination with the main-track rails, of lead-rails exterior of said main-track rails, a lead-rail situated intermediate of said main-track rails, a slip-frog hinged to said intermediate leadrail, adapted for movement to one of said main-track rails, and formed with an enlarged head 17 which is undercut to form a flange of sufiicient width to extend to the opposite side of the track in alinement therewith, a switch-point, having a tapered end, hinged to one of the exterior lead-rails adjacent to said slip-frog, and guard-rails, having tapered ends, extending longitudinally of said slip-frog and switch-point, to which the free tapered ends of said frog and switchpoint are adapted to be moved when out of service, substantially as described.

SAMUEL S. NIC'HOL.

In presence of- FRANK W. LAMBORN, W. F. COOPER. 

